Free At Home with Chinese Cuisine by T P Hong

extends to the intensity of the flavour. The length of a small drop of the very old ZhenJiang vinegar lingers long after the meal.
     
    To be qualified for the GIP status, ZhenJiang rice vinegar has to be produced in accordance with the sanctioned traditional methods in the city of ZhenJiang in JiangSu Province. It has to be free of any artificial colourings or flavourings. Aged bottles with GIP status are often sold in gift packs by producers themselves and are not available in supermarkets. Passing off is again a common problem. For the genuine article, purchase it directly from the producers, or take a trip to ZhenJiang city and take the opportunity to soak up the atmosphere. The aroma of the vinegar is literally in every corner of the city.
     
    ZhenJiang rice vinegar was granted the European Union PGI quality status in 2012. 25 The young rice vinegar for cooking can now be found in Chinese or Oriental grocery shops in the UK. Look for the bottle with both the Chinese GIP and EU PGI symbols for the genuine article.
     
    ShanXi old-aged vinegar (ShanXi Lau Chen Cu, GIP) is made from a mixture of sorghum wine, bran and husks of grains, and the added yeasts (made from broad beans and barley). The young vinegar undergoes a smoking process prior to being left to age in the ceramic jars. It is this distinctive smoky aroma that gets people hooked on the vinegar. The vinegar is then left to age with the solids. The final product is sold as old-aged vinegar. It is a comparatively full-bodied, robust liquid that is rich in amino acids. It is the vinegar of choice for Northerners because it suits the their palate for a stronger-flavoured diet.
     
    People in ShanXi love their vinegar. It was told that if they encountered each other on the battlefield, the tacit agreement was that they would not aim their weapon at each other’s vinegar jars attached to their belts. They are also known for their fondness of vinegar-based drinks; this is partly due to the well-recognised medicinal properties in TCM for the prevention of common cold, as well as the relief of indigestion from overeating, headaches, nosebleeds, and more. According to the locals, it is also because they are brought up with vinegars ever present in their diet to deal with the alkaline water source in the area.
     
    This vinegar has been granted the GIP status by the Chinese government. But again, not all old-aged sorghum wine vinegar from ShanXi Province conforms to legislated production processes and standards. It is always advisable to purchase the bottle from reliable vendors and look for the GIP logo on the label.
     
    SiChuan Province is the territory of BaoNing vinegar, and it is a grain-based vinegar, but it does not use the rice or sorghum wine as the alcohol base for fermentation. The major ingredients of this vinegar include wheat, glutinous rice, and husks. They are traditionally made in the winter using the water from the JiaLing River  26 when the water is the clearest. The unique reddish brown colour comes from the Chhu, which is made from more than sixty varieties of herbs and spices that are commonly used in TCM. They include cloves, eucommia bark, fructur amoni rotundus, and amomum xanthroides. That is why BaoNing vinegar is described as medicinal vinegar. It gives the spicy SiChuan dishes such as Gong Bao Diced Chicken and Shredded Pork with Fish Fragrance their authentic flavours.
     
    YongChun aged Monascus vinegar (YongChun Lau Cu, GIP ) is the rice vinegar from the southern coastal province of FuJian. It is referred to as the black vinegar because its colour is blackish brown and darkens further with aging. The main ingredients include the glutinous rice, a Chhu that is commonly referred to as the red yeast rice (monascus rice, or HongQi in Chinese), sesame seeds, and sugar. In order to qualify for the GIP, the vinegar has to be aged for at least three years with the acidity level no lower than 5 per cent. They are suitable for aging. Because of its